Bruins Sign Hamilton to Entry Level Contract

The Boston Bruins signed defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a
three-year entry level contract the team announced Thursday.

The St. Catharines, Ontario native was Boston’s first
choice, ninth overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. The Niagara Ice
Dogs star is currently the team’s leading scorer and sits
eighth in the OHL scoring race with 11 goals and 41 points.

“Obviously, it’s a big honor for me,” he said
in a statement released to media by the team. “I think
it’s kind of been something I’ve worked towards ever
since I got drafted. Just to have it finally happen, it’s
really exciting for me and my family and it’s just really
exciting.”

Hamilton admitted that signing with the Bruins less than six
months after the B’s made him their first choice in the draft
was not something that weighed heavily on his mind, but is glad to
have a deal done.

” I wasn’t really too focused on it too much,”
said Hamilton. “I just wanted to improve everyday and work
hard and get better and do the things I need to do in order to
achieve my dreams.

“So I think that’s one step closer to becoming an
NHL player and I think it’s something that most of the guys,
all the prospects do and when they are getting closer to make that
jump. For me, I am just really excited and am just going to keep
working as hard as I can to make the Bruins.”

Hamilton’s torrid offensive start earned him OHL
Defenseman of the Month honors for both months of October and
November. He is the OHL’s top point producer among defensemen
and has emerged as one of the most dangerous power play point men
in all of junior hockey.

“I think it’s a little bit of everything,” he
said of his strong start. “I think just being in your third
season in the OHL, having the confidence that you can make plays
and can make stuff happen on the ice. And coming back from NHL camp
with the Bruins I think is definitely exciting for me.”

Along with fellow B’s prospect Ryan Spooner, Hamilton will
depart this weekend for Calgary and the Team Canada World Junior
Evaluation Camp. Hamilton is said to have a strong chance to make
the club, as does Spooner.

“It’s a really good opportunity for me,” he
said. “With both of my parents being Olympic athletes
representing Canada, I think it’s really special if I can
represent Canada as well. I did it two summers ago with the under
18 team, but I think this is a whole new level with the amount of
talent there is with the Canadian players. Just to be invited to
the camp is an honor in itself and hopefully I can make the team.
And to be able to do it with my brother would be even more
special.”

All in all, it’s been a pretty good couple of months for
Hamilton, and signing the deal may just be the tip of the iceberg
with the WJC tourney around the corner.

Signing notes

Hamilton’s deal does not start running until he either
makes the Bruins next season and plays more than 10 games or when
he turns pro and is eligible to play in the AHL full-time during
the 2013-14 season.

Although he signed his ELC, Hamilton cannot play for the Bruins
until his OHL season (regular and playoffs) is complete. Niagara is
one of the better clubs in conference, so should the Ice Dogs
advance past the first round, the NHL regular season would be over
by then.

Boston will have to decide whether to keep Hamilton in Boston
for the 2012-13 season or return him to junior. That decision will
be based on myriad factors, including how much weight he puts on
between now and September, 2012, how he finishes out the season
with the Ice Dogs, whether returning him for what could be another
dominant season in junior could hurt his development and what the
Boston defense corps looks like.